Effect of binding affinity for siRNA on the in vivo antitumor efficacy of polyplexes.

To elucidate the effect of binding affinity for siRNA on the in vivo antitumor efficacy of polyplexes, five kinds of galactose modified trimethyl chitosan-cysteine (GTC) conjugate-based polyplexes were developed through adjusting the incorporated ionic crosslinkers. The resultant polyplexes exhibited similar particle size (135-170 nm) and zeta potential (30-35 mV). Their distinct binding affinities for siRNA were evaluated by gel retardation, heparin displacement, and in vitro siRNA release assays. GTC polyplexes with weak polymer-siRNA binding were structurally unstable and highly susceptible to nuclease degradation, resulting in poor cellular uptake. However, strong binding affinity for siRNA was correlated to delayed intracellular dissociation of polyplexes. The polyplexes with optimized binding affinity for siRNA provided enough protection of siRNA prior to releasing it efficiently in the cytoplasm, resulting in efficient and persistent gene knockdown in vitro. Furthermore, they had remarkable antitumor efficacy in vivo with regard to the tumor growth retardation, gene knockdown, angiogenesis inhibition, and apoptosis induction in QGY-7703 tumor bearing mice. Therefore, tailoring of the binding strength between the polymeric vector and its siRNA cargo in polyplexes may serve as a feasible tool for improving their therapeutic efficacy.

Han L ，Tang C ，Yin C 《-》

Enhanced antitumor efficacies of multifunctional nanocomplexes through knocking down the barriers for siRNA delivery.

Multifunctional nanocomplexes (NCs) consisting of urocanic acid-modified galactosylated trimethyl chitosan (UA-GT) conjugates as polymeric vectors, poly(allylamine hydrochloride)-citraconic anhydride (PAH-Cit) as charge-reversible crosslinkers, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) siRNA as therapeutic genes, were rationally designed to simultaneously overcome the extracellular, cellular, and intracellular barriers for siRNA delivery. The strong physical stability of UA-GT/PAH-Cit/siRNA NCs (UA-GT NCs) at pH 7.4 and 6.5 endowed protection from massive dilution, competitive ions, and ubiquitous nucleases in the blood and tumorous microenvironment. Their internalization into hepato-carcinoma cells was facilitated through the recognition of galactose receptors, followed by effective escape from endosomes/lysosomes owing to the strong buffering capacity of imidazole residues. At the meantime, the endosomal/lysosomal acidity triggered the charge reversal of PAH-Cit in UA-GT NCs, thus evoking their structural disassembly and subsequently accelerated release of siRNA in the cytosol. As a result, robust in vivo performance in terms of both gene silencing and tumor inhibition was achieved by UA-GT NCs at a low siRNA dose. Moreover, neither histological nor hematological toxicity was detected following repeated intravenous administration. Therefore, UA-GT NCs potentially served as an efficient and safe candidate in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma through knocking down the overall barriers for siRNA delivery.

Han L ，Tang C ，Yin C 《-》

Biophysical properties of chitosan/siRNA polyplexes: profiling the polymer/siRNA interactions and bioactivity.

Chitosans are naturally occurring polymers widely used in life science to mediate intracellular uptake of nucleic acids such as siRNA. Four chitosans of fungal origin (Agaricus bisporus; molecular weights MW=44, 63, 93 and 143 kDa) were used in this study and profiled for size, viscosity and hydrodynamic radius using gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Polyplexes made of these chitosans and siRNA were developed and optimized for transfection efficacy in vitro. The characteristics of these polyplexes were low chitosan:siRNA ratios (4-8; N:P) similar positive zeta potential (20-30 mV) and comparable particle sizes (about 150 nm). Endogenous luciferase reporter gene down-regulation in human epithelial H1299 cells at nanomolar concentrations (37.5-150 nM) was significantly stronger for the lower molecular weight chitosans. The impact of these low N:P polyplexes on the cellular viability was minimal also at 150 nM. To help develop an understanding of these differences, an energetic profile of the molecular interactions and polyplex formation was established by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The four polyplexes exhibited strong binding enthalpies delta H(bind)(-84 to -102 kcal/mol) resulting in nanomolar dissociation constants. Intracellular trafficking studies using rhodamine labeled siRNA revealed that polyplexes made from smaller MW chitosans exhibited faster cellular uptake kinetics than their higher MW counterpart. Transmission electron microscopy and small angle X-ray scattering studies (SAXS) revealed that the 44 kDa derived polyplexes exhibited regular spherical structure, whereas the 143 kDa chitosan polyplex was rather irregularly shaped. With regards to adverse effects these low N:P chitosan/siRNA formulations represent an interesting alternative to so far reported chitosan polyplexes that used vast N:P excess to achieve similar bioactivity.

Holzerny P ，Ajdini B ，Heusermann W ，Bruno K ，Schuleit M ，Meinel L ，Keller M ... -  《-》

PEGylated carboxymethyl chitosan/calcium phosphate hybrid anionic nanoparticles mediated hTERT siRNA delivery for anticancer therapy.

Lack of safe and effective delivery vehicle is the main obstacle for siRNA mediated cancer therapy. In this study, we synthesized a pH-sensitive polymer of PEG grafted carboxymethyl chitosan (PEG-CMCS) and developed anionic-charged hybrid nanoparticles of PEG-CMCS and calcium phosphate (CaP) for siRNA delivery through a single-step self-assembly method in aqueous condition. The formed nanoparticles with charge of around -8.25 mv and average diameter of 102.1 nm exhibited efficient siRNA encapsulation and enhanced colloidal and serum stability. The test in vitro indicated that the nanoparticles entered into HepG2 cells by endocytosis, and achieved endosomal escape of siRNA effectively due to the pH-responsive disassembly of nanoparticles and dissolution of CaP in the endosome. Reporter gene silencing assay showed that luciferase siRNA delivered by the anionic nanoparticles could achieve gene silencing efficacy comparable to that of conventional Lipofectamine 2000. Additionally, dramatic hTERT knockdown mediated by the anionic nanoparticles transfection induced significant apoptosis of HepG2 cells in vitro. After intravenous injection in tumor-bearing BALB/c nude mice, the nanoparticles specifically accumulated into tumor regions by EPR effect, leading to efficient and specific gene silencing sequentially. Most importantly, the nanoparticles carrying hTERT siRNA inhibited tumor growth significantly via silencing hTERT expression and inducing cells apoptosis in HepG2 tumor xenograft. Moreover, comprehensive safety studies of the nanoparticles confirmed their superior safety both in vitro and in vivo. We concluded that the PEG-CMCS/CaP hybrid anionic nanoparticles possessed potential as a safe and effective siRNA delivery system for anticancer therapy.

Xie Y ，Qiao H ，Su Z ，Chen M ，Ping Q ，Sun M ... -  《-》

Oral delivery of shRNA and siRNA via multifunctional polymeric nanoparticles for synergistic cancer therapy.

Galactose modified trimethyl chitosan-cysteine (GTC) conjugates with various galactose grafting densities were developed for oral delivery of Survivin shRNA-expression pDNA (iSur-pDNA) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) siRNA (siVEGF) in the synergistic and targeted treatment of hepatoma. iSur-pDNA and siVEGF loaded GTC nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared via electrostatic complexation and showed desirable stability in physiological fluids and improved intestinal permeation compared to naked genes. Galactose grafting density of GTC NPs significantly affected their in vitro and in vivo antitumor activities. GTC NPs with moderate galactose grafting density, termed GTC2 NPs, were superior in facilitating cellular uptake, promoting nuclear distribution, and silencing target genes, leading to notable inhibition of cell growth. In tumor-bearing mice, orally delivered GTC2 NPs could effectively accumulate in the tumor tissues and silence the expression of Survivin and VEGF, evoking increased apoptosis, inhibited angiogenesis, and thus the most efficient tumor regression. Moreover, compared with single gene delivery, co-delivery of iSur-pDNA and siVEGF showed synergistic effects on inhibiting in vitro cell proliferation and in vivo tumor growth. This study could serve as an effective approach for synergistic cancer therapy via oral gene delivery, and highlighted the importance of ligand grafting density in the rational design of targeted nanocarriers.

Han L ，Tang C ，Yin C 《-》